Enlightenment

I hear that my presence puts people ill-at-ease. I certainly do not try to do this, in fact in most social settings I am uncomfortable myself. I have never been one who “shines” in public settings, nor have I made friends easily. I am shy and awkward around new people (and people I have known awhile). So what is it about me that puts people off?

I have always believed that the reason was because I was plain, clumsy, loud, and fat; All the things my mother tried to correct in me growing up. When I was older and made real friends who saw past all of that, they could only tell me that it was because I scare people, although they couldn’t really explain how because they usually had the same effect on others (probably why we became friends). It wasn’t until I started really focusing on and working on my spirituality that some understanding started to show itself.

Since opening the store, and dealing with the public on a daily basis in the spiritual realm, I have discovered more about myself and my abilities. I am an “opener” or “Gatekeeper”. I open up people’s minds and hearts to the possibility of more in life. People do not wonder into my store unless they are curious enough to want to know, or ready to move forward and grow in their own path. I let them know that the thoughts, wants, and hopes that they have experienced all of their lives are real and possible. They are drawn to my store, and to me, although they may not understand why at first. But what about the ones who are ill-at-ease?

I, my store, my mission, and all those who are part of the community we have here scare those who are not ready for spiritual growth. They are either too comfortable with what is, or too scared of what others will think to move forward to a life of harmony and balance. We represent embracing being different, or going against the grain and happiness in that. We represent standing for what you believe, and fighting for what is right and still finding strength to do it over and over again even when I get knocked down. We represent free-thinking and mind-boggling concepts which threatening to disrupt and disturb and re-teach their lessons of yesterday. They are not scared of me personally, but rather they fear what I (we) represent.

I, however, refuse to change who I am and what I believe to make them feel more comfortable!

I got told one time that I view the world through rose-colored glasses. I didn’t take offense to it, because it is true. I do try to have a positive outlook on the world around me. I was, however, hurt by the way they said it. The words spoken to me as if I was just naive and “unworldly”, or that I was living in some delusional fairy tale world full of rainbows and unicorns. I am far from delusional and have been around the block a time or two.

I know how the world operates, and how people treat other beings badly. I have cried my fair share of tears in this lifetime, so I am familiar with the negativity and ugliness that exist in the world. I just choose to look for the positive in situations, I choose to believe in the goodness of others, I choose to imagine a world that people look after each other and attempt to wish it into being.

I love too much. I trust too blindly. I help too often. These things often backfire on me, and I get hurt in the process, but I refuse to give them up. What if me loving deeply allows someone to learn to love themselves? What if me trusting someone allows them to believe in a better version of themselves? What if my helping someone with a little thing allows someone to receive help they desperately need in a life or death situation? I refuse to give these things up, because even though I may not see the change, or benefit from the change, I could be the change. This world needs change.

We were picking up one of my daughters. It was very late, but the excitement of the night
had me wide awake. My oldest daughter was driving while the younger one was asleep
between us. All was quite, so I stared out the window, mulling over my own thoughts.

As we approached an overpass, I saw a shadow come from beneath it, and float along the
ground out to the field and into darkness. There was no roadside signs, and the shadow
never changed shape, or distorted as it moved. At no other time did this shadow recreate
itself that night, so it wasn’t something on the headlights. As I watched it, it gave the feeling
of gliding or floating. Yes, that’s right, the shadow actually gave off the feeling of movement.

I could distinctly see a long body with most of the bulk in the middle and the back trailing
off into a tail. It’s head was elongated, and out of it’s back shot up what could only be
described as wings. Did I really just see that? I do believe I did. A dragon. I really couldn’t
have…..

Why not? Why couldn’t these mythical, magical animals exist? I see spirits, I hear spirits, I talk
to spirits. Why not them? If we believe that there is at least two worlds existing in the same
space and time, and these two worlds can interact and cross over at times, then why
couldn’t there be another world within those?

We know these animals had to have existed at some point and time. Even the bible
mentions unicorns. So why is it so hard to believe that they still exist in our world. I know
several people who have seen fairies, experienced brownies being mischievous, they have
scientific evidence that mermaids do exist, so why not? Just as spirits used to be people in
our world, but now reside in another, then why could we not explain the same for those
beautiful, wonderful, magical creatures of yesteryear?

The choices we make every day, ultimately lead us to our fates. No one or nothing will affect our outcome as much as we will. We have it within ourselves to make our fate be what we want it to be, or pretty close to it. It’s our everyday actions, words, and choices, that propel us on the journey to our fate. It is not predetermined for us in some magical, powerful, foretelling of the world. Fate is ours to change and manipulate.

Destiny, however, is a different matter. Destiny will happen regardless of our choices, decisions, or our outcome. If something is destine to happen to us, or to cross our path, it will find a way to do just that no matter what path we are on.

Let’s say, for example, that you are currently trying to get from point A to point B. You have five possible paths before you to accomplish that. Of these five paths, one is full of stones and rocks, one is narrow, one is straight and clear, one is covered with bramble, and one is full of puddles. At the start of your journey however, you do not know this information. You can only see that there are several paths for you to choose. So you choose and you walk and take what fate comes your way. Your choice has created your fate, be it wet shoes from puddles, aching feet from rocks, scratches from bramble, etc.

Now, let’s say in this example, that regardless of which path you choose, you will have to cross a river. There is no getting around this river, and you have to get to the other side. This is your destiny. No matter what path/fate you chose, your destiny will always be there.